Universal Catalytic Converter For Your Car5633923

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The environment is one of our greatest natural treasures, and for this reason it should be protected. With the growing number of car users every year, one device comes in handy in limiting the emission of harmful chemicals from the tailpipes of vehicles. This device is the universal catalytic converter which is commonly called “cat” or “catcon.” The air around us suffers the most by being contaminated by toxic by-products coming from the internal combustion of the engines of vehicles. To mitigate the ill-effect of car fumes on the environment, the universal catalytic converter was invented and its design readily converts the chemical by-products of internal engine combustions into less harmful substances. There are different types of catalytic converters throughout its developmental phase. The earliest catalytic converter was invented in 1950 by a mechanical engineer named Eugene Houdry. Afterwards, after a series of studies, the two-way converter was first introduced in 1973.

The catalytic converter mechanism usually consists of three basic components: the substrate, the washcoat, and the catalyst. The substrate or the catalyst core usually consists of a ceramic monolith, although metals can also be used. The other part of the catalytic converter is the washcoat. The washcoat functions as a disperser of materials within the catalytic converter. The other part is the catalyst itself which is often made of precious metal. The metal commonly used for the catalyst is platinum, rhodium, and palladium. Moreover, other materials such as cerium, manganese, nickel, and iron are also used.

The dynamics of catalytic converter’s function:

Most cars nowadays are equipped and fitted with a three-way converter. This three-way converter has the function of catalyzing the conversion of the three basic pollutants in the exhaust of automobile. If you are going to synthesize the exhaust of automobile, you will find out that there are three main pollutants present which are very harmful to the environment, and of course, to human beings. These are Carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, and unburned hydrocarbon. Carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbon are readily converted by the catalytic converter into carbon dioxide molecules and water vapor. Oxides of nitrogen, on the other hand, are converted into three different molecules—carbon dioxide, water, and nitrogen. It is a known fact that the catalytic converter can really help reduce the emissions of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxides, and oxides of nitrogen. For this reason, it is a very effective means of reducing air pollutants from the exhaust of the tailpipes of cars and other vehicles.

The Three-Way Converter

A simple three-way converter has three different, yet simultaneous functions. First, it reduces nitrogen oxides to its component parts—oxygen and nitrogen. Second, it brings about the process of oxidation reducing carbon monoxide into less potent carbon dioxide. Lastly, it carries the oxidation of hydrocarbons that are not burned, reducing them to water and carbon dioxide.

Most cars, which are equipped with 3-way catalytic converters, have feedback mixture control which senses the amount of oxygen. There are certain air-fuel ratios which are ideal for an effective operation of the three-way catalytic converter. These closed-loop feedback systems make it sure that the ratio between air and fuel are at a particular desirable level. Though it would be highly technical to deal with the explanation of this ratio at this point, it is but fitting to say here that the catalytic converters necessitate certain amount of oxygen to make possible the catalysis of the chemicals into their safe components.

Installation of the Catalytic Converters

Many of the vehicles nowadays are equipped with close-coupled catalysts found in the exhaust manifold of the engine. However, this catalyst unit usually heats up because it is near the engine. When the first catalytic converters were introduced, most engines used carburetors which allowed for a good level of air-fuel ratio. However, in the exhaust stream, oxygen levels were generally lacking. For this reason, some installations of catalytic converters were improvised with a system for air injection to make catalysis possible. Nowadays, many vehicles are no longer equipped with air injection systems. However, they got oxygen sensors to monitor the amount of oxygen in the exhaust before they pass through the catalytic converter, and right after they pass through the catalytic converter. The fuel injection is adjusted accordingly to prevent oxygen overload, while making sure that the catalyst have enough saturation of oxygen.

The catalytic converter usually functions fully after five minutes of engine operation. For this reason, the emissions during the first five minutes of engine start are not effectively catalyzed. Some newer models of car have electrically heated catalytic converter to allow the catalysis of the exhaust air right after the engine is started.

Installing catalytic converter

Some catalytic converters may need some welding or cutting if you want to install them. Likewise, the use of the universal catalytic converters is generally governed by very strict engine sizes and vehicle weights. Thus, you have to choose the right catalytic converter according to the weight and size of vehicles listed for each converter.

Prices of catalytic converter

Since the catalytic converters make use of commodity materials including gold, platinum and palladium, the prices of catalytic converters have radically increased. Moreover, with these valuable materials inside the catalytic converters, an increase in the number of theft of catalytic converters is noted recently. It’s a good thing that at present, the values of the expensive metals inside the converter have devaluated a bit, and this has an impact on the price of catalytic converters. Moreover, if you are a victim of catalytic converter theft, the replacement cost usually ranges from $200 to more than a thousand dollars.

The prices of catalytic converter range from several dollars to several hundred dollars depending upon the brand and the efficiency of the converters. Some catalytic converters can be bought at a low price of $35, while others may be around $700. You can find online a lot of sites which sell catalytic converters of various sizes, designs, and prices. If you are searching for a new catalytic converter for your car, you can readily visit these sites and find out what they got to offer car battery charger